Residents' fury over council plans which will stop them parking outside their Coventry homes

Residents in Holyhead Road, Coventry are complaining about bollards going to be put up outside their properties. They are saying they will not be able to park outside.
L to R: Jamila Shahin, Zohia Arshad, 11, Nomaan Arshad, 8, Raja Arshad, Usman Arshad, Manjit Deol

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Furious residents in Coventry say they will be prevented from parking outside their homes after the city council began work to install bollards along their road.

The work will mean commuters using the busy Holyhead Road will face even more disruption over the next 10 days, after contractors started preparing to install new bollards on the edge of the footpath.

But neighbours claim they were not alerted to the work in advance and that installing bollards will lave them facing huge problems on where to park.

Councillor Rachel Lancaster said: “The work is necessary and has been in planning since last September by local councillors and we notified residents by writing to them in March earlier this year.

“The path has been damaged by cars being driven on and off drives, so was in need of resurfacing, and the bollards are there purely for safety.

“We need to protect the area and keep everyone safe.

“They do have rear access, but to help with the disruption caused to residents, we have possible solutions for them if they cannot get to their garages.

“This is to team up with the council and help clear any rubbish that may be blocking their access.”

Julie McFadyen, who lives in the road with son Andrew, is among the affected residents. She said: “We have given the council alternative suggestions to the bollards, as these will block our drives and stop us from parking outside our houses, but when we have spoke to them, they have declined any alternatives.”

She added: “It isn’t just the residents that are affected, pedestrians that want to walk along the pathway can’t because it has all been shut off.

“One worker even had to escort a blind person round the road the other day because there is not even a path that has been constructed.”

Neighbour Jamila Shahin, whose husband runs a taxi from their home, said: “Because of the works, we are unable to park outside our own house.

“It has led us to park further down the road, in the pub car park and out the back, but my husband’s taxi has been broken into several times.

“It just isn’t safe if it isn’t (parked) outside our house.”

Residents have made a number of complaints to the council and were hoping council staff would carry out a site visit and hear their concerns before work starts to install the bollards next week.